Apprenticeship. Romans 6:15-18 V.15. To learn a craft or a particular skill, a person desires to join or present himself to one who already has proven himself skillful in that area of service. In that way, over a period of time, they not only learn the theory but also the finer points that can only be learned by experience. This second question, though similar to the one asked in verse one, has to do with our service to God rather than our new life in Christ. It is possible for us to be saved and brought into the blessings of the risen Christ, and not understand the terrible hold sin has on a person.
V.16. The bondage of sin is as real as the guilt of sin. One may continue in sin and its slavery because our bodies are still subject to obey sin if we do not present ourselves as servants to obey righteousness. We have the responsibility to make a serious decision in this case. Are we going to continue in the apprenticeship to sin or change our vocation to be apprenticed to righteousness? God, who has saved us when we were presented with the Gospel, now wants us to present ourselves in the obedience of faith to righteousness. We obeyed the doctrine of the Gospel, the pattern of teaching the truth of salvation provided by the work of Christ on the cross. We were handed over to that great doctrine of truth which we believed from the heart.
V.17. Grace does not free us to sin, but rather obligates us to live for God and enables us to live free from sin. Now we are free to continue to obey that truth and the righteousness produced as a result of it. We were handed over, or delivered over to the Gospel. We have been transferred to the teaching of the work of Christ on the cross that has brought us salvation. This is similar to the delivery of Israel over to Moses and the teaching of the law after it was given. Now we have been delivered over to this doctrine. Now we are to obey it as servants who are apprenticed to this great message.
V.18. It really is incumbent upon us to wholeheartedly give ourselves to love our Master, take His yoke upon us, and learn of Him and from Him. By following Him, we will become skilled in the work of being “fishers of men,” “teachers of good things,” and “servants of God." This is not a half-hearted service with part of us serving sin and another part serving God. The freedom to serve righteousness opens to us a whole field of serving in the Gospel and all the blessings that accompany that glorious message. What a great relief it is to be free from the bondage of sin! What a great privilege to be servants of righteousness!